Mailbag: May 27

Remembering the Sea Bees

Yesterday I was watching a video of the first U.S. Marines landing on Guadalcanal and nearby islands during WWII. I found myself shaking my head as I watched those brave boys pushing cannons through deep mud in the hot jungles. They suffered much for our freedom.

Years ago I read about the Sea Bees in the South Pacific. On TV in the 1950s, Beaver (Theodore Cleaver) was embarrassed that his father was just a Sea Bee and not an infantry soldier in the big war. But I have read about those brave men who built airstrips on those jungle islands. They lived in mud. They slept in mud. They worked hard in mud. They had mud in their food. They had mud in their teeth.

When a Japanese plane would fly low over them and strafe their position they had to dive into a mud hole for cover. After about four days they were taking those men out of there, because they were going crazy in the mud! They suffered much for us.

On Memorial Day, and everyday, we should be thankful for our soldiers, sailors, Sea Bees, and Marines who sacrificed so much for our political freedom.

Yours for America,
Dan Manka